Gurgaon: Haryana Environment and Forests Minister Capt Abhimanyu on Wednesday said the government has set a target of increasing the state forest cover to 10 per cent from the present 7 in the next five years.

Interacting with mediapersons at Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) here, he said that the state government is committed to maintaining greenery in the Aravalis and measures for water conservation would also be taken.

He said that in order to boost afforestation, the state government has launched a scheme 'Har Ghar Haryali' (greenery in every household) under which any person can collect sapling from the nursery of Forest Department by paying Re 1 per plant.

The person can plant the sapling in his house and look after it.

He said that for reducing pollution level in the areas along the roadside, the forest department has taken up plantation drive and were planting sapling free of cost in farmers' land which is located along the roads.

The government is focusing on plantation on panchayat land and private vacant lands as well.

He said that the Agri Forestry has been successful in Haryana because of which the wood industry got a boost and Yamunanagar district of the state has emerged as an important center of plywood industry in the country where about 50 percent of the plywood is being produced.

The minister was the chief guest in the concluding function of workshop of senior officers of Indian Forest Services organised in HIPA in which 19 officers from various states of the country participated.